Nov 15, Colombo: Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero, the Chairman of Sri Lanka Public Service United Nurses' Union (PSUNU) says that his union will not participate in the strike of the nurses today.

The token strike of the nurses is called by the Government Nursing Officers' Association (GNOA) which is considered by the PSUNU as a rival.

The Chairman of PSUNU which has the most members said that the union would not take the responsibility of its members participating in the strike today.

He said that the demands set forth by the striking union have already been won.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of All Ceylon Nurses' Union (ACNU) S.B. Medawaththa says that the nurses in island wide hospitals would report sick today. They will hold a protest campaign at the Ministry of Health today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The GNOA meanwhile has called a 24-hour token strike today. The strike will begin at 7 a.m. on November 15 and ends at 7 a.m. November 16.

Chairman of GNOA Saman Ratnapriya says the strike is to demand the authorities to suspend the recruitment of nurses by the Provincial Councils, grant a five-day work week, increase overtime and other allowances, and implement the promotions of years 2011 and 2012.

Nurses at the Lady Ridgeway Childrens' Hospital, the Castle Street Maternity Hospital, Eye Hospital and the Cancer Hospital of Maharagama will not participate in strike action, the unions say. They will also attend to emergency cases in the hospitals.